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While Papi has now established itself as a desti-
nation restaurant as well as a beloved local, it
was no small feat opening in the middle of a pan-
demic. But in a laid-back style that reflects the
ethos of the restaurant, Ryckeboer explains “The
Papi project was validated a few weeks before the
pandemic. We were just about to start work when
the pandemic broke out. There was no question of
going backwards, even if the situation was a bit
destabilising!”
Perhaps it was the success of his first restaurant,
Bulot Bulot, that gave Ryckeboer the confidence
to open under less than optimal circumstances.
But this perseverance and optimism during the
difficult days of the pandemic was appreciated by
co-founder of De La Espada Luis De Oliveira, after
being brought on to craft the restaurant’s dining
chairs: “When Lyndon and Rosanna [Neri&Hu] came
to us in the middle of the first lockdown here in
London, to work on a chair for a small restaurant
serving pizza and red wine, we simply couldn’t
refuse. It was a beam of shining light, showing
us that there was optimism in the world that lays
ahead even in an industry that has been severely
affected like hospitality. And we love pizza and
red wine, so we can’t wait to visit Paris.”
It is a sentiment echoed by many of us at a time
when we are spending more time close to home.
For now, Papi is welcoming their neighbours for
a friendly meal that reminds them of the wider
world; later we will all join them for a meal and
shared stories.
